About Interview for PhD applicant

[deptbios]

I'm an international applicant for Ph.D. program in Biostatistics.

I had selected for an interview in two universities, NYU and VCU. 

In the process of an admission, after pre-screening, is there the interview for all international applicants?

It means, I'm wondering if there is an admision case without the interview in Ph.D. program of Biostatistics.

In addition, I want to know how to prepare the interview. 

Please, share your valuable informaiton. Thank you very much, in advance. 

[MsHypatia]

Hello @deptbios, I'm not an international applicant (also I am Stats not biostats) and not sure whether all international biostatistics applicants (after the pre-screening as you call it) are interviewed but from reading this forum I would say yes, most if not all are interviewed.

As to interview preparation, I can tell you how I have been preparing for possible interviews. I have gone back over all of my SOPs and made sure I can speak easily and at length on the research I have done, the professors I want to work with at each school, and the school itself. I have practiced describing why I want a PhD and why I would want to pursue my PhD at each university I applied to. Being well versed on the research of professors you're interested in as well as the department in general can't hurt either. 

I hope this helps. 

[deptbios]

On ‎2017‎년 ‎1‎월 ‎12‎일 at 10:05 PM, MsHypatia said:

Hello @deptbios, I'm not an international applicant (also I am Stats not biostats) and not sure whether all international biostatistics applicants (after the pre-screening as you call it) are interviewed but from reading this forum I would say yes, most if not all are interviewed.

As to interview preparation, I can tell you how I have been preparing for possible interviews. I have gone back over all of my SOPs and made sure I can speak easily and at length on the research I have done, the professors I want to work with at each school, and the school itself. I have practiced describing why I want a PhD and why I would want to pursue my PhD at each university I applied to. Being well versed on the research of professors you're interested in as well as the department in general can't hurt either. 

I hope this helps. 

Thank you very much! Thanks to your advice, I was quite good at my interview. Thanks again.